


Beauty in the Breakdown

by Kaleidoscope_Carousel



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Gen, Gen with mentions of Laurel/Oliver Sara/Oliver and Sara/Nyssa, Rated teen for language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-28
Updated: 2014-02-28
Packaged: 2018-01-14 02:35:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1249558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaleidoscope_Carousel/pseuds/Kaleidoscope_Carousel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just a little headcanon-y thing I had thought up during the hiatus, but I didn't actually write until after Time of Death. Canon divergent from after the dinner party scene. Unbetaed, please let me know if I made any errors.</p><p>Laurel and Sara have a confrontation after dinner.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Beauty in the Breakdown

“I can’t believe you went and did it again. You fucked Oliver, again! After everything that happened the last time. Are you out of your fucking mind? Or do you even care about anything other than yourself?” Laurel’s face is bright red and her eyes are brimming with tears as she stops in her rant to catch her breath. Sara takes the opportunity to try and get a word in.

“Laurel, I wanted you to hear it from me, okay? I didn’t want you to find out like that, I didn’t want to hurt you. I thought you and Oliver were over. I—” But Laurel cut her off.

“Didn’t want to hurt me? You should have thought of that before you fucked my boyfriend!”

“He’s not your boyfriend anymore! Goddammit Laurel, what claim do you have on him now?” 

“Not now, but he was when you got on that boat!”

“Holy shit Laurel, that was six years ago. Six fucking years! Let it go already! Don’t you think if I’d known what would have happened I would have changed my mind? I spent years of my life, _years_ , in Hell. And the only shining light I had during that time I just shut out of my life last week, so I’m sorry if I went and took comfort from someone _who knew what it was like_!” Sara can feel tears on her cheeks now, hotter even than her flushed cheeks and she grinds her teeth.

“He told me he loves me.” Laurel’s voice has gone dangerously quiet. Sara remembers this from their fights when they were teenagers. Laurel is beyond angry now, and that makes her unpredictable.

“What?”

“He told me he loves me. Last year right before Tommy died we were going to get back together, and then he disappeared. Now he tells me he loves me in that hallway after dinner,” Her voice is rising again “He told me he loves me right after I find out that he's fucking my sister. Again!” Sara sees Laurel reach for the glass on the table, and before she can throw it, slides behind her to grab her wrist and disarm her. Laurel tries to turn and hit Sara, but Sara is too quick and she grabs both of Laurel's arms and holds her tightly, Laurel’s back is shaking with sobs against Sara’s chest as they both sink to the floor in tears.

“You were dead!” Laurel screams, “You were dead and I couldn’t mourn because I was so angry at you both. And I was guilty because I was angry, and dad was falling apart, and mom couldn’t take it, and I didn’t know what to _do_. I couldn’t hold this family together, and you couldn’t even bother to call!” 

She’s rocking back and forth against Sara, and all Sara can do is whisper “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” over and over again into Laurel’s hair. After a while Laurel’s sobs quieten and her breathing becomes more regular again. Sara presses soft kisses into her older sister’s hair. “Do you love him still?” She asks. Laurel laughs bitterly.

“I don’t know. Every time I think we’re through and I’m finally moving on he pulls some shit like he wants me again. I’m so sick of the back and forth.”

“He’s a dickhead.” Sara says, firmly. Laurel actually laughs at that. 

“He is a dickhead,” she agrees, “I’ll drink to that.” Sara bites her lip and lets go of her hold on her sister. Laurel gives her a look. “I know,” she says, “I know I have a problem and I know I need to fix it but tonight I just need to get drunk. I’ve felt like I’ve been constantly drowning for the past six years, Sara. I feel like I died on that ship when you did, but here you are. Where am I?” Sara gathers Laurel into her arms again, this time in a hug, not a hold.

“You’re right here, Laurel. You’re here with me and you’re alive and so am I and we are going to get drunk because Oliver Queen is a dickhead.” Laurel sniffles a little.

“I’m sorry, I think I’ve ruined your shirt.” Sara shrugs.

“Believe me, my sister’s tears and snot are not the worst things I’ve had to clean off my clothing. Assassin. Remember?” Sara says, lifting one arm to point at herself. Laurel swats at her. 

“I did not get snot on your shirt, and don’t joke about. . . _that_.”

“I have to joke, Laurel.” Sara says, solemnly, “Sometimes it’s the only way I could get through things.” 

“Well, joke more later. Vodka now.” Laurel gets up and rummages around the kitchen, coming back with a bottle, frosty from the freezer, and two shot glasses.

Halfway through the bottle, Sara is feeling pleasantly numb when Laurel’s voice cuts through her buzz. “Do you miss her?” It takes her a moment to register what Laurel is asking.

“Every day,” she answers softly, “but I can’t have it both ways. I can’t be an assassin anymore, which means I can’t have her. It’s her world. I couldn’t ask her to give it up; besides, her father would never let her go.” She shifts to get a better position on the couch. “How did you know, anyway?” Laurel smiles lazily.

“I’m your sister, stupid. I put two and two together, especially with what you said earlier about losing your light. Besides I remember when you were in the tenth grade and you were awfully close with Bethany Richards in your science class. Couldn’t stop talking about her, if I recall correctly.”

“Shut up!” Sara says, but she’s feeling too heavy with the vodka to do anything about it. “Do you miss him?”

“Who? Oliver or Tommy?” Sara shrugs.

“Both,” she says, “either. Doesn’t matter.”

“Yeah,” Laurel sighs. “I miss Tommy every day. I was so stupid to get back with Oliver because I could’ve been with him that afternoon. I could have saved him, maybe, if I’d been with him instead of at the office.” She pauses for a bit, and lifts the bottle, studying it, before she puts it back down on the table. “Oliver I miss, too. But more and more often I feel like I never really knew him. I was in love with the idea of Oliver Queen, not the actual person. I still miss Oliver. Even though he’s back, he’s not really here, you know? Sometimes I wonder if he ever left the island.” Sara nods.

“I know what you mean.” She says.

“Also he just needs to keep it in his pants.” Sara nearly spits out the sip of vodka she just took. She starts coughing and Laurel shuffles down the couch to pat her enthusiastically on the back. 

When she’s recovered enough to speak, Sara nods vigorously. “I love that man, well not _love_ love, but love. Y’know what I mean? But anyway, yeah, I love Ollie but he is kind of a slut.” Laurel raises her glass and Sara meets it with her own.

“Cheers to that.” Laurel says. 

“He and Felicity really need to figure out their shit.” Sara muses.

“Felicity? That’s the secretary, right?”

“She’s more than a secretary, she’s brilliant and funny and totally adorable and—”

“And it sounds like you’ve got a bit of a crush on her as well.” Sara blushes.

“Maybe.” She can feel her eyes closing against her will, so instead of continuing, she just snuggles up to Laurel and leans her head on her shoulder. “’M tired. Fighting with you is tiring.” Laurel laughs.

“So go to sleep then, silly.” Sara doesn’t answer, just yawns, as she feels Laurel drag the blanket from the top of the couch to cover them both. For the first time in a very long time Sara can feel herself relaxing, even as Laurel’s own breathing slows and steadies into sleep. She snuggles deeper under the blanket, careful not to disturb her sister. She smiles as she lets herself drift off and thinks,

“I’ve got my sister back.”


End file.
